Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-04
A CASE OF BLACKMAIL,
"A Cowardly Attempt to DE fame a
Prominent Citizen
From the G0inesuilLe lgla.l Record.

ter threatening him with arrest and
prosecution for malpractice and unpro-
fessional conduct by producing abor-
tons, coupled with the instruction that
he had better leave the city if he did not
want to look through iron bars.
The doctor being very timid man and
fearing that he might be made the victim
OF plot to ruin him, and expressing
himself to a friend that to defend him
self from the charge would cost him a
large expenditure of money and perhaps
ruin him in business, and that 1t was a
scheme concoted in spite, he unwisely,
without consulting any Of his friends, left
the city by the first train. When the
story got abroad throughout the city and
became the theme OF conversation on the
sidewalk and in places Of business, it was
nearly the unanimous expression OF the
citizens that 1t was done for either black
mail, or to break him down in business.
and many animated that it was doue in
the interest of others of the profession
through spirit of jealousy.
To add to the owardly act and to show
the depth to which the plot was laid, an
other anonymous letter was written on
Saturday and mailed to his wife, which
for indecency and righteousness showed
the devil incarnate. Not satisfied with
having driven DR.. Moore from the city,
they must add another pang to the heart
OF the stricken wife. The indignation
of the citizens increased until it took
vent III the form of call for meeting to
express the sentiments of the meeting to-
ward the cowardly acts. At $3.50 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon few gentlemen met
at the office OF Judge Cone to take some
preliminary action, and q committee was
appointed to draft resolutions to be pre-
sented at meeting of the citizens, which
was held last night at the armOrV.
At O'Clock at least $50 persons were
present. representing the best citizens of
the town. The meeting was called to
order by H. NJ. Clapp.
The preamble and resolutions prepared
by the committee were read by Hon. w.
N. Sheats, after which A. j. Cone made
some remarks and read the anonymous
letter sent to Mrs. Moore. He was fol-
lowed by Gen. Varnum and Hon. 4. T.
Crawford, who, in an emphatic manner,
condemned the outrage, which was ap-
plauded by all.
The following are the resolutions which
we're adopted unanimously by a rising
vote:
WHEREAS. IL has come to our knowledge
that DIR. NJ. L. Moore, practicing physician
of this city, has taken his departure from our
midst summarily in consequence of certain
anonymous letters that parGake of the nature
of blackmail; while it is not the purpose of
this assemblage of citizens to endeavor to
cover crime, or to prevent any guilty person
from paying the penalty of wrong doing, but
knowing DR.. Moore to be by nature a timd
and retiring man, it is the object Of this
gathering TO express unqualified contempt of
the surrepJitlOus manner In which the char
acter of DIR, Moore has been assailed in pri-
vaIe and publicly, no one seeming to be will
ing to father the rumors that are being indus
trIously waited around to the detriment of
the public character OF our community, as
well as to DR.. Moore as an individual of 1t;
therefore, be it
ResolDed, That we ask DR.. Moore to return
and pledge HIM our sympathy and protection
until proved guilty of crime, and in so doing
we assure HIM and any other person in, OF
coming to Gainesville, that no personal or
business jealousy, spirit of ostracism, breath
of Islander or blackmaiI. shall drive any per-
son from our midst, 1t matters not how tim
orous or from where he comes until done in
| an open, responsible. reputable and legal way.
REQ Ued, 2, That we characterize those viii
| famous persons who tantalized Mrs. DIR.
| Moore, q lady well worthy the respect and
| protection of the city, with anonymous letters
| recounting the supposed misdeeds OF her hus
| band. as too base, cowardy and contemplate
| to be noticed, and if they can be found out
| will be dealt with as an incensed community
| knows how to punish
| Resoloed. 8, That the wholesale recital
| of corruption in our social life, as charged
In these dastardly. low. irresponsible, an
| onymous letters, we hurl back as false,
and thus publicly assert that the foul
whispers of ISLANDERS in the absence of legal
| only in the case of DIR. Moore, as AN indi-
| vidual but against our community at large,
| and we hereby pledge our means and
united influence to protect the character of
| individuals and Of the public morals of the
city.
| W. N. SHEATs,
G. IL. PARKER,
| A. j. CONE,
j. K. CRAWFORD,
W. L. GRIFFIN,
Committee.
1t to be regretted that such a course
should be pursued By any one in q re-
| spectable community as using anony-
nous letters. II DR.. Moore is guilty of
the crime there is a proper remedy in the
courts of justice, and let him meet the
charges there. If the object of the move
was to pull down DIR. Moore and ruin his
| professional work for others to build up
| their own IL will recoil on their own
heads. 1t will be a boomerang which
will return with tenfold force.
1t has been remarked that he had been
| followed for year, and now he was Sc
| curely caught. II this be true, why take
| this nefarious method to carry out their
designs instead of resorting to a legal
course before grand jury and the courts
| OF our country.
DR.. Moore came to this city about two
years ago, and by his gentlemanly con-
duct had won the confidence and esteem
of a large portion of our citizens. and had
built up an excellent reputation as a
physician.
Over 5000 was subscribed to ferret out
the writer of the anonymous letters.
A committee consisting OF Messrs.
Dunson, Parker, Griffin and Cone was
appointed to notify Mrs. Moore OF the
q this mpntinQ-